


Snap Crackle and Pop

by LovelyLovelyLove



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-30 01:32:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16755316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLovelyLove/pseuds/LovelyLovelyLove
Summary: It was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Lucy was done with heartbreak. She locked up her heart and threw away the key. After a horrendous hike, she finds herself surrounded by a group that will come to think of her as family. But will she let them in? And can a certain Dragon Slayer find the key to unlock her heart? Maybe, if he stops being so stubborn.(moved from fanfiction.net)





	1. Chapter 1

Guess what? I decided to be a total moron and start another story. Yayyyyy for inevitable stress and confusion. Oh well, I'll survive. (I hope)

Sorry this is such a short chapter. I just really wanted to get something posted.

As always, I do not, nor will I ever, own Fairy Tail.

Onwards!  
********************************************************

"Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me." Lucy wanted to scream. It was hot, humid, and the forest she was currently trying (and failing) to navigate through was so dense she didn't even know if she was going the right way. If she didn't have her spirits she was positive she would die here, and no one would find the body.

With a loud groan, she picked herself up and brushed the moss and dirt from her knees.

'Just walk straight through, he says. It will be so much faster, he says. He's just lucky I never want to look at this godforsaken place ever again or his ass would be grass.' She grumbled internally.

It had been a year since the guild reformed. It was almost as if it never disbanded. Almost. A lot of the guild still walked around on eggshells, like at any moment we could lose our home once again.

The last two years had changed Lucy. She was still her happy self, but she was also cautious, a little sassier, and guarded. She had lost too much in her twenty-two years on Earthland. Her mother, her father (emotionally), her childhood, Michelle, seven years of her life, her father (physically), Aquarius, the guild, and then her best friend in the whole world left her behind.

There's only so much a girl could take, even if you were as resilient as Lucy Heartfilia apparently was.

Levy, Gajeel, and Panther Lily stuck with her for a while. They were the only people that knew about Aquarius besides her spirits. A few weeks after the guild disbanded, they had taken a job together from the mission board that the mayor set up in the center of town. It was supposed to be a simple escort job for some prissy fat man, but they were ambushed. A few of the bandits were mages and somehow Lucy was cornered by a small stream. Out of habit, she reached for Aquarius's key, only to find it no longer there. She had a total meltdown, right there in the heat of the battle, confusing the crap out of the mage she had been fighting. Gajeel took the mage out, and a very confused and concerned Levy held her while she sobbed. She demanded to know what was wrong, and Lucy just couldn't find it within herself to hold back. She told them everything. When she told them about how Aquarius's mark never went away, Levy said she would have to do some research, but she had an idea why it stayed.

After scouring away in library after library, Levy finally found the answer. Well, kind of. All she found was a book in Crocus that said that a spirit is allowed to empower only one mage in their entire immortal existence. That was literally all it said.

Lucy then had an epiphany, and not one that made her feel all that intelligent. She forgot about Crux. Levy just about bashed her scull in, frustrated with her friend, but she didn't say much else. After all, she forgot too.

Lucy summoned him that afternoon back in their hotel room. He explained that Aquarius had given Lucy a gift, but the spirit had insisted that she figured it out on her own. A Zodiac spirit is allowed to empower a Celestial Spirit mage with their power only once. After they choose a mage, they can't take it back, and they can never do it again. He explained that she now had water magic capabilities, although they may differ from Aquarius's. Magic differed between every mage, or being. It conformed to their strength and personality to make it unique.

It took two months for Lucy to figure out how to activate it, and it was amazing. The minute the magic poured through her system, she felt Aquarius's presence for the first time since Tartaros and she finally understood what her gift meant. Even though she could no longer be there physically, she would always be there in spirit.

Not long after, Levy received an offer to work for the reforming Magic Council. She put up a bit of a fight, but Lucy knew her friend. She could see it in the little bluenette's eyes how badly she wanted to do this, to go and open up a new chapter in her life.

So, after lots of yelling, crying, laughing, more crying, and promises to never lose touch, Lucy convinced her friend to go. She helped them pack, and a few days later, after a very tearful goodbye, they left.

Lucy didn't know what to do with herself for a while after that. After a few weeks of numbness, she broke. Loke opened his own Gate and held her. She cried all day. Then she got pissed. Why? Why did the Gods decide she had to have everything she ever came to love ripped away from her? After ranting and raving in front of a very patient lion for well over an hour, she decided she was done. She was done loving so freely. Opening her heart to anyone who showed her a little kindness. She had her spirits and she had Levy. Surprisingly she also had Gajeel, who had started treating her as if she was his little sister. And of course Panther Lily, who she had bonded with over cooking together for their ragtag little group.

Lucy would always love Natsu, but he left. He just left her behind, and didn't even have the common decency to tell her he was leaving in person. He left her a note to find on her own and took off.

So she was done. She locked up her damaged, aching heart and refused to let anyone else in.

The rest of the year was spent taking solo jobs, and writing the occasional article for Sorcerer Weekly. She got herself a new little apartment in Magnolia, since hers just held too many memories, and continued on with life. Levy never failed to write to her every week, and Lucy returned the favor. Even Lily sent her one from time to time.

Then came the rumors that Makarov had been spotted in Magnolia. At first she tried to ignore them. She wouldn't let herself get her hopes up.

But then they kept coming, and she couldn't ignore them any longer. One night she found herself standing in front of the empty lot that used to be the destroyed guild hall. Only it wasn't empty. There wasn't much, but floors and walls were in the process of being rebuilt. For the first time in well over a year, hope flooded Lucy's body.

The next day, she went back and found Makarov, Erza, the Raijinshu, and a handful of her old guild mates working hard to rebuild the place she once called home.

Erza was the first one to see her, and in a flash, she was tackled to the ground, her face crushed into a metal breastplate. Master approached her next, confirming that the guild was getting back together and that he would love nothing more than for her to come back as well. Lucy agreed immediately and set to work helping to rebuild her home.

The guild hall was finished within a month, and after many calls via lacrima, the whole guild was back together, sans Natsu. He came around almost four months later. Waltzing in to the place with his usual "We made it back alive!" There were cheers, and tears, and the guild partied for a week straight. After an awkward hug and a chaste 'welcome back' Lucy retreated back to her apartment. It was too much, seeing him. And for the first time in almost a year, she cried.

After that, things slowly returned to the way things were before Tartaros ruined everything. However, everyone was still afraid it was too good to be true. Including Lucy. While she still went on some missions with Team Natsu, she mostly stuck to her solo jobs. Being around Natsu was somewhat strained, but they never talked about it. They talked and joked, but that was it. She missed how things were, but he had broken her trust, and her heart. Other than quick greetings at the guild, and being together on jobs, that was all the two ever really interacted.

If people noticed, they didn't say anything.

Looking down at herself to inspect the new scratches on her legs, Lucy was grateful that she stopped wearing skirts on jobs. Now she stuck to shorts and her favorite pair of black combat boots that reached mid-calf. It didn't take long for her to give up on only wearing shirts that hid Aquarius's mark. She got a lot of compliments and people were surprised, but no one ever questioned her too much about her new "ink."

Lucy brushed her fingers over one of the keys at her hip.

'Pyxis, am I still going the right way?' She asked through their connection.

After hearing his confirmation, she continued on through the thick foliage.

She was making her way to the nearest train station after a mission. It was a simple job. All she had to do was wait around a quaint little sweet shop for the group of teens that kept breaking in and eating large amounts of their merchandise. The owners of the shop were a nice elderly couple. They didn't want to get the police involved, they only wanted a mage to come by and scare them just enough so they'd learn their lesson. One giant bull with a huge axe was all it took for them to run crying for their parents.

On the way back, Lucy decided she wanted to check the local magic shops for any new keys. Not only could she not find a single magic shop, but she also got hopelessly lost. Finally she gave up and asked the nearest stranger for directions. He said he could 'do her one better' and show her a shortcut. He took her to the edge of the forest she was currently trying not to have an aneurism in, and told her to walk straight through keeping east. What he did not tell her was how dense it was and how there were no paths!

For the fiftieth time that day, her foot caught on a tree root and she went flying face first into the mossy forest floor.

Before she could yell at the offending root, another sound burst through the previously silent area.

"God dammit will you shut up!" The deep masculine voice, followed by a threatening growl, echoed off of the trees.

Lucy slowly rose to her feet and silently made her way to where the voice came from.

'That sounds like-'

"Laxus! Stop pissing the guy off when we can't do a damn thing to defend ourselves. If the guy wants to give his big evil master plan speech, then fucking let him. I don't want to die today!"

'Bickslow.'

She followed their voices until she reached an odd clearing in the middle of the forest.

There, on the side farthest away from where she was crouching behind a tree, was Laxus and the Raijinshu on the ground in front of an extremely tall and thin man, and a short incredibly obese woman. They had what looked like magic cancelling cuffs binding their wrists and ankles. Other than their mouths, their bodies were unnaturally stiff looking.

Evergreen had a burlap sack over her head, as did Bickslow. Freed was sprawled out on his stomach, glowering at the odd couple standing before them. Laxus however, looked furious.

If the menacing growls reverberating from his broad chest were any indication, he was not a happy camper.

The tall, boney man just laughed at the group in front of him and waved a hand at the woman standing next to him. "You're free to go Sam. Regroup with the others and inform them that I'll be there shortly."

Sam bowed to the man, handed him what looked like a key, and uttered something before disappearing into an inky black puff of smoke.

The moment she was gone, the captive mage's bodies slumped.

"Now then, where were we? Oh yes." The man rambled on and on, making his unwilling audience listen to whatever it was he was saying.

Lucy wasn't listening, however. She was running through her options and possible strategies until finally she found one that just might work.

She'd probably get her ass handed to her, but it could work.

Grabbing two of her keys, she silently summoned them and told them the game plan through their connection.

When she was finished, Lucy took a deep breath, and stepped out into the clearing, silently begging whatever deity out there that she could pull this off.


	2. How Did That Even Work?

"God dammit will you shut up!" Laxus shouted, effectively cutting off the droning of the dark mage in front of them.

The mission was supposed to be simple. Investigate the area and stop the group of dark mages that were plaguing the town. Apparently, the skinny guy currently watching us in amusement and his groupies were gathering recruits. Something about being the strongest or something like that. Laxus wasn't paying attention.

He was now though. One of the townsfolk told them he had seen a group of suspicious looking people enter the forest every day for the last week. When they went to check it out, it had taken them seven hours to get to the little clearing they were in now. Seven hours of tripping, cussing, and electrocuting foliage, only to be frozen in place the second they stepped foot into the clearing.

The fat bitch was some sort of Immobilization mage and she appeared out of nowhere. He didn't understand how not one of his senses picked them up.

Once complete immobilization had taken hold, magic cancelling cuffs were placed on their wrists and ankles, then they were dragged to a different part of the clearing. Bickslow and Evergreen had sacks placed over their heads 'just in case.'

It appears as though the dark mages were waiting for them.

As soon as the Raijinshu was secured, the immobilization spell was lifted from only their heads so they could speak. So speak he did.

"Laxus! Stop pissing the guy off when we can't do a damn thing to defend ourselves. If the guy wants to give his big evil master plan speech, then fucking let him. I don't want to die today!" The Seith mage pleaded beside him, sounding slightly muffled.

"Tch." He glared daggers at the couple. The man was incredibly tall, taller than himself. He was so thin he was basically just skin and bone. Short black hair spiked up in all directions, some of which fell forward to hang over his equally black eyes. Thick eyebrows were raised while he watched their interaction in amusement, a grin stretching his thin lips across his long angular face.

The woman beside him appeared to be the exact opposite. She was very short, and incredibly wide. It was almost unnatural how light she was on her feet with how large she was. Long white hair was pulled up into a high pony tail. Her face was round, large grey eyes staring expressionlessly ahead while her thick lips were pressed into a tight line.

The man in question just laughed and gestured to the woman beside him.

"You're free to go Sam. Regroup with the others and inform them that I'll be there shortly."

Sam bowed to the man, handing him something. "Yes Master Mica." And vanished into an inky black puff of smoke.

The moment she was gone, the captive mage's bodies slumped, finally free from the spell cast on them.

"Now then, where were we? Oh yes." Mica continued on with his droning, but the Dragon Slayer wasn't paying attention to what he was saying.

Laxus couldn't hold back the growls that emanated from his being. His instincts were screaming at him to figure out a way to get out of the cuffs, tear this man limb from limb, and protect his family.

'But how?' He wracked his brain, trying desperately to come up with a solution, only to come up short.

'There has to be a way. There always is.' He glanced back at Freed.

As if sensing his eyes on him, the Rune mage met his gaze. He could tell that the green haired man was having trouble finding a solution as well.

Suddenly a breeze picked up through the clearing, carrying with it a vaguely familiar sweet sent.

'Who the hell is that?' He wondered silently. 'I know I've picked up that scent before.'

He forced himself to look around the clearing slowly and only with his eyes.

There, stepping out of the tree-line on the opposite side of them, was a petite blonde.

Her long hair was slightly disheveled, with bits of leaves and twigs stuck in some of the golden strands that fell loosely to her tiny waist. Dirt smudged across one of her cheeks, and with his enhanced sight he could make out tiny scratches adorning her pale legs and arms. There were small tears in her too short denim shorts and pale pink tank top. He noticed the two golden keys in her hand and the determined look in her chocolate eyes.

However, as much as her sudden presence surprised him, that is not what shocked him the most. No, standing next to his fellow blonde was an exact replica of her. Every feature was exactly the same, except this one wore a blue skirt and an orange t-shirt.

'What the fuck is this? Has Blondie been hiding a twin from the guild all this time?'

No that's not right.

As the blondes strode closer, Laxus realized that the Lucy wearing the skirt didn't have a scent coming off of her.

"One of her spirits." He heard Freed whisper, low enough that only his Dragon Slayer hearing could pick it up.

Laxus didn't know if he should be worried or grateful. Maybe both, he would decide later.

The closer Blondie and her spirit got to the dark mage, the tighter his fists clenched. He hated being helpless. He felt like a damn damsel in distress.

Then, the Lucy in the shorts stopped a few feet away and cleared her throat, her spirit stopping beside her with her hands on her hips.

Mica's eyes widened marginally and he turned to face the blondes behind him.

"Can I help you ladies?" He asked sounding uncertain.

The spirit-turned-Lucy nodded and placed a hand on her whip. "Actually, yes. We would like to know what you hoped to accomplish by capturing these mages."

Blondie also placed a hand on her whip and widened her stance. "I don't think you realize what a big mistake that was."

Mica laughed loudly, clearly not seeing the small blondes in front of him as a threat. "Friends of yours?"

Lucy glanced at her nakama behind him, briefly meeting his gaze, before returning her attention to the task at hand. "You could say that." She smirked.

The dark mage gestured to the restrained mages and his laughter took a more dangerous edge. "Oh? Well why don't you enlighten me on my supposed mistake before I add you and your sister here to my current list of people to dispose of."

Faster than he could follow, if he wasn't a Dragon Slayer, both blondes fell into an identical battle stance with their whips in hand, snapping at the grass on either side of them.

"Because you just messed with Fairy Tail." Lucy's voice was low and dangerous, but Laxus didn't have time to react to how hot it sounded.

In a flash, both whips were glowing a brilliant blue with what looked like lightening wrapping around it, and flying in different directions.

With an expert flick of the wrist, Lucy's whip snapped at the dark mages chest knocking him back on his ass with an "Oomph."

Laxus felt his jaw drop.

'Blondie's kind of a badass.'

Sprit-Lucy's whip shot forward at the fallen mage's face, but before it made contact his hand shot out and caught it mid-air.

Mica got to his feet and pulled the whip, and the spirit, closer to him. "You know I may have changed my mind." He mused, looking the 'sisters' up and down. "How would you beautiful little spitfires like to join our cause?"

Laxus growled at his lecherous tone.

Blondie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Not a chance Jack Skellington."

Bickslow cackled next to me. "Man I wish I could see this."

"Tell me about it." Evergreen quipped, annoyed.

Mica's aura darkened around him. Wisps of menacing shadows seeped from the dark mage.

He pulled the spirit closer and glared at the Celestial mage. "What did you just call me?"

Lucy shrugged indifferently. "You heard me."

Shadows shot forward, enveloping the spirit-Lucy, before they manifested into a handful of jet-black orbs surrounding her from all angles.

Mica laughed haughtily. "Want to run that by me again?"

But Lucy was already moving. Backing away from the group and closer to the tree line, her whip flashed out again, growing in length and landing a hit on the dark mage's face with a snap.

Laxus smelled the blood and any trace amounts of gratefulness he previously felt vanished in an instant, being replaced by worry for his nakama.

'What is she doing? Is she trying to get herself killed?'

After a moment of eerie silence, the shadows launched at the spirit while Mica lunged forward with his hands out at Lucy.

The Celestial spirit cried out in pain and disappeared in a flash of sparkling golden light.

"What's this? A Celestial spirit mage? Well isn't this my lucky day! Not only do I successfully capture the annoying mages who were sticking their noses into my business, but I find you! A real treasure indeed." He clapped his hands together like a giddy child. "I can't believe I didn't notice those keys sooner. I'm impressed."

"Huh?" Bickslow was just as confused at the rest of them.

One of her delicate blonde eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about?"

Mica only laughed excitedly as he increased the amount of shadows in front of him. "Don't act so modest, my dear! I've heard the gossip. It seems as though there's only a few of your kind left, and one of them has become, and I quote, 'one of the strongest Celestial mages in history.'" He stepped forward, "This mage is rumored to be in that little guild you mentioned before. Supposedly, she owns ten of the twelve incredibly rare Zodiac keys. It is also rumored that she once demanded the presence of the Spirit King himself to argue one of his rulings. Not only did he comply, but he agreed. Now that's more than impressive."

Freed sucked in a gasp behind him.

Lucy's eyes widened and she took a step back as the man before her chuckled darkly. "I know quite a few people who would love to get their hands on you, darling."

"Blondie run! Get the fuck out of here and contact Gramps! We'll be fine!" Laxus shouted, as he struggled against his restraints.

"Don't be a hero, Cosplayer. We can't back you up if shit hits the fan. You need to run!"

He watched as several emotions flitted across his fellow blonde's face, and he knew what they said had flown in one ear and out the other.

What happened next seemed to play out in slow motion. Lucy resumed her battle stance and focused on the dark mage once more. Her whip shot out, and her other hand flew to her keys.

She didn't get very far before the shadows shot forward, sending the small blonde flying back into the trees.

A moment later, Laxus heard her body bounce off a tree and hit the ground with a thud.

Mica turned back and addressed the Raijinshu. "One moment please." He smiled at the Lightening mage's snarl before disappearing into the foliage to follow her.

"Laxus we have to do something. Lucy could be hurt." Freed was struggling against the restraints.

"I have no idea what happened, but I'm guessing she didn't run." Biscklow groaned, leaning his body forward until the sack slip off his head. "Fuck its nice to see. Ever lean over and try to get the- oh you got it. Nevermind."

Laxus turned to see that the brunette had indeed succeeded in freeing her head.

"Where did Lucy go? We can't let that creep get her." She looked around the clearing franticly in search of her guild mate.

"Don't you think I know that?" Laxus snapped, "Just what do you suppose I do?"

A feminine cry of pain reached his ears and he slammed his bound hands against the grass. "God dammit!"

"My Princess wishes for me to inform you that she has a plan and to wait patiently." A monotone voice popped up from behind them.

A high pitched shriek flew from Bickslow"s mouth as all four mages jumped in surprise.

"Where the fuck did you come from?" Laxus growled at the pink haired maid spirit. She had expressionless blue eyes, and chains dangled from her wrists.

"I have been here the whole time. Princess instructed me to hide behind the trees." Her head cocked to the side as if she was listening for something.

"I must get into position. If you will please excuse me." She bowed deeply before sprinting off to duck behind a tree father up the clearing.

The sound of flowing water filled the space around them, followed by a large wave.

Mica smashed against the tree next to the one where Blondie's spirit was hiding and slumped to the ground as the water receded.

"What the hell?"

"I believe that was another one of Miss Lucy's spirits." Freed explained, sounding somewhat thoughtful.

Movement caught Laxus's eye, and he watched as the pinkette silently crept forward, hands extending towards the disoriented man.

The Dragon Slayer's eyebrow shot up. 'You've gotta be shitting me. This was her plan?'

The maid spirit fell back and slid behind the tree again just as he rose back to his feet.

Mica glanced over at his captives, his mouth stretching in an amused grin. "I apologize for the delay. This is getting fun." He waggled his bushy black eyebrows and sauntered back into the forest.

"I can't believe that fucking worked." He was shocked, honestly. That was the stupidest, most juvenile plan he had ever witnessed. It also happened to be genius.

"Man, Cheerleader has a brain on her!" Bickslow exclaimed as the maid spirit crouched in front of him to unlock the shackles on his ankles.

"I have to agree. That plan was simple and efficient. Although, it relied heavily on chance. The events could have played out in a numerous amount of ways." The Rune mage mused.

"Yeah, yeah. Blondie's smart. Now could you hurry up spirit lady? She's still out there by herself, you know."

"You could say she's not out of the woods yet." Three heads turned to level a glare at the man currently being set free. "Ok ok, sorry. It was too good to pass up."

"I hope she's ok. She was thrown pretty far." Ever's voice was laced with worry.

"Princess is alright. She has a backup plan, as always." The spirit reassured as she worked on Bickslow's wrists.

"I hope you're-" Laxus was effectively cut off by an immense wave of magical pressure.

A huge magic circle appeared in the sky and the clearing darkened around them.

"Oh my. I must go." The pinkette hurriedly finished with the cuffs and placed the key in the confused Seith mage's hand.

"What is that?" Evergreen asked in awe.

"The backup plan." The spirit said simply, before bowing deeply and disappearing in a pink puff of smoke.

The Thunder Legion stared in shock and wonder as the sky split open to reveal what looked like the heavens itself. Suddenly, orbs of all different colors poured from the pocket of space, swirling around and hovering near the area where Lucy was.

"Urano Metria!" Blondie's voice rang out from the clearing and the orbs seemed to lock on to their target. There was a blinding flash of light, which made the group of mages clench their eyes shut, and the ground shook.

"Holy shit!" Three heads whipped in shock to the green haired mage, who was openly gaping at the sky where the pocket of space had been.

"Did…did you just curse, Freed?" Ever asked, recovering first.

"Do you realize how much power one must obtain to perform that spell?"

"Isn't that the one she never got to finish at the Games that one time?" The Seith mage let out a low whistle. "Cosplayer would've had that match in the bag if that Raven bitch wouldn't have cheated."

Laxus snapped out of his shock. "Oi! Bicks. Hurry the fuck up and get these things off. We have no idea if that spell even worked, and it's been eerily quiet over there."

"Right."

"Tch."

Bickslow freed his comrades as quickly as he could, and they rushed to where Lucy had disappeared to.

What they saw stopped them in their tracks.

There Lucy sat, leaning heavily against a tree with blood pouring from a wound on her shoulder. Several feet in front of her was a large crater, still steaming, the dark mage laying in an unconscious heap at the bottom.

"Oh thank Mavis." Lucy breathed wearily before falling back, out cold.

"Lucy!" Evergreen cried, racing around the crater to get to the blonde, Freed following closely behind.

Laxus stayed where he was. Still trying to piece together all of the events that had unfolded that day.

'Where the fuck did she even come from?' He silently wondered, watching as Ever gently checked for her pulse, while Freed pressed his handkerchief to her wound.

"She's alright. It seems she just passed out from using too much magical energy. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it also had something to do with being thrown around like a ragdoll." The brunette sighed in relief, tucking a long blonde strand behind the younger mage's ear.

"Yes, and this wound doesn't seem all that deep but it may need stitches." Freed stated in agreement, gazing down at the unconscious woman in wonder.

"Alright. We still need to take this asshole to the authorities and take out the others. That Sam bitch will be easy now that we know her magic. Freed, can you write out some runes to counteract it?" Laxus turned to address his green haired friend.

"I believe so." He nodded, taking out his rapier and getting to work.

The blonde man turned to the other two members of his team. "Bicks, take this guy to the proper authorities and then come find me and Freed to help with the others. Ever, Blondie is small enough. Do you think you're able to carry her back to the inn?"

"In a normal circumstance, yes but how do you expect me to get her through this hellhole? It was hard enough on my own." She gestured to the trees around them. "It took us hours to get to that clearing."

Laxus looked around and cursed.

"Then what do you suggest? We can't just bring her with us. She'd be a sitting duck out there."

There was a moment of silence and surprisingly it was Bickslow who came up with a solution.

"Why don't you take her Laxus?"

"What?" He asked incredulously. Had he lost his mind?

"It would be the fastest way to get her to safety so she can rest. You can teleport, it would take minutes for you to get her out of here." Freed nodded, agreeing with the plan.

"No way. I haven't kicked anyone's ass this whole job. You expect me to just sit in our room with a passed out chick while you guys get all the action?"

"Jeeze man, you're starting to sound a lot like Natsu." Laxus growled dangerously at the Seith mage, who held his hands up in surrender.

"Don't ever compare me to that idiot."

Evergreen cleared her throat delicately. "Anyway, it's the fastest and easiest way Laxus. Whether you like it or not." She gazed down at the blond next to her before adding softly, "She risked her life to free us, you know. We owe her a whole hell of a lot. Getting her back to recover comfortably is the least we can do."

Laxus glared at the Fairy mage for a moment before cursing once again. She was right. The little blonde came out of nowhere, just when they needed her. She was willing to get herself hurt or worse to get them out of there. He may be stubborn and kind of an asshole, but he knew that he owed the Celestial mage big time for this.

"Tch. Fine." He stomped towards Lucy before crouching down and scooping her up, surprised to find how light she really was. "You go with Freed. When you finish up there, meet back with the client and come back to the inn."

Laxus walked a few feet away before channeling his magic, letting it pour out of him to cover the woman in his arms.

The lightening pulsed and crackled around them. There was a loud crack of thunder and then they were standing were the Raijinshu hand entered the forest earlier that day.

}{}{}{

If there was one thing he learned on the walk back to their inn, it was that carrying a battered and unconscious woman through town elicited an abundance of stares.

It actually slightly concerned the Dragon Slayer that no one made any sort of movement to make sure the girl was alright, and not being kidnapped.

Glancing down at the woman in his arms, he took the chance to really study her.

Her long golden hair framed her heart-shaped face. Long eyelashes rested on her dirt smudged cheeks. Her full pink lips turned down in a slight frown.

There was no denying it. Any man with eyes and a working dick could see that even covered head-to-toe in small cuts and dirt, she was a beauty.

"I know quite a few people who would love to get their hands on you, darling."

Mica's words from earlier echoed through his head and he frowned deeply at the thought, a strange feeling tightening in his chest.

He shook his head and continued on. Twenty minutes later, he was pulling the key out of his now unlocked door.

Laxus walked into the room, nudging the door shut with this elbow and moved to the nearest bed.

Laying her down gently, he peeled back the soiled handkerchief and silently thanked Mavis. The bleeding had stopped on its own and wouldn't require any stitches. He hated giving stitches. It honestly grossed him out.

Shivering at the images that popped into his head, Laxus turned to grab the first aid kit from the bathroom.

In no time, her wound was cleaned and patched up and Laxus was sitting on the bed next to hers bored out of his mind.

With a sigh, he dug out his sound pod and placed the spikey headphones over his ears.

The blonde man glanced one more time at the woman fast asleep before leaning back against the wooden headboard, closing his eyes, and cranking the volume.

No matter what he tried thinking about, his thoughts always returned to the Celestial mage.

He had so many questions. Was she really one of the only Celestial mages left? Where did they all go? What made Blondie so powerful? What would they do with her? Why does she smell like strawberries and cream? Does her back hurt lugging around that rack every day? Why did she get that odd tattoo? What does it mean?

It went on and on, and it was starting to drive him insane.

Laxus slid his hand over his face with a groan.

'Jesus fuck. Get a grip man. Why are you being so damn nosey?'

But He was bored. With nothing else to do he found himself questioning just about everything he knew, which was very little, about her.

Sensing a change in her, he slowly rose to his feet and stood, looking down at his fellow blonde. Her delicate eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were pursed together. Her small hands were clenched into fists at her sides.

'Pain,' he realized, 'She's in pain.'

"Blondie. You ok?"

Her breathing was becoming erratic, chest heaving. Laxus could hear her heart pounding furiously in her chest.

"Oi, what's the matter? What hur-"

"Aquarius." His head cocked to the side as he watched her dainty hand lift up to settle on her chest. She let out a small whimper.

Salt assaulted his nose and his eyes snapped back up to her face. Tears were leaking out of the corners of her closed eyes. "Come back." Her voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper. "Don't go." A quiet sob escaped her lips.

Laxus stood frozen at the sight before him. He hated it when girls cried. He never knew what to do.

'She's still asleep? Who the hell is Aquarius? Where'd she go? Stop being so fucking nosey!'

He listened as her heartbeat slowed, her breathing starting to even out.

After a moment, she was completely still again so he turned and resumed his previous position on his own bed.

Right as he was about to crank the volume back up on his sound pod, a broken whisper drifted from the unconscious blonde in the bed beside him that made his heart clench involuntarily in his chest.

"Everyone leaves."

*******************************************************

Have you ever just drawn a complete blank while staring at a word? You've used this word probably hundreds of times in your life. Then suddenly it looks weird. Is that really how it's spelled? Am I pronouncing it right? It means what I think it means, right? IS IT EVEN A REAL WORD? Have I been using it my whole life and it doesn't really exist?

Yeah, that's when you know its bed time. Until next time, loves.


End file.
